Learning to Live
by CharCherie
Summary: It takes them a while to get used to each other after he comes to stay on Earth, for her to familiarize herself with his towering form around the apartment and for him to accept her inclination to leave dirty dishes in the sink. (One-shot; SPOILERS for Thor 2!)


A/N: First story! God, I hope it's decent...Anyway. I was just so inspired after watching the amazing Thor 2 that I felt the need to write up this little drabble-ish thing about Thor/Jane's life on earth. I love these two, and no one is going to convince me otherwise. And if you like them as much as I do, then enjoy! :)

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It takes them a while to get used to each other after he comes to stay on Earth, for her to familiarize herself with his towering form around the apartment and for him to accept her inclination to leave dirty dishes in the sink. She is then often thankful that she decided to move to London, because god (or Odin, she supposes) only knows that he would not have fit into that tiny RV she called her "temporary living situation." He, unable to stand the uncleanliness, has simply resigned himself to being the dish-washer of the household.

At first, she doesn't quite believe that he is there to stay. He resolves to convince her, however long it takes. When the two are still shy and awkward about the fact that they can now actually be together without traversing realms, he insists on sleeping on the living room couch (much too small). This does not last very long, as one night she all but drags him into her room, stifling his complaints about propriety and honor with an urgency that promptly shuts him up. Needless to say, they spend the rest of the night – and most of the next day – in that room, until Darcy walks in that afternoon complaining about missing Jane at the lab. This effectively ends the awkward new stage of the relationship, although Darcy now complains endlessly about being unable to "un-see" certain images.

He adapts slowly but surely to life on Midgard: fits himself into earthly clothes, learns the appropriate way to order another coffee, even gets a job in construction – hard work, but exactly the physical exertion he needs sometimes. She continues her research, which S.H.I.E.L.D. surprisingly allows, although having a demigod who saved the world as a boyfriend probably helps. Granted, there is not much left to research; everything she wants to know he can tell her when she climbs into bed at night and nuzzles into that one curve on his body that he knows no one else will fit into as perfectly as her. Still, she insists on her science, translating his tales of fantasy into fact and holding on to the dream that one day her findings will see the light of day and open up realms of possibilities.

Neither talks about her short time in the other realms much; she knows that he is still healing from the death of his mother and his brother, and when he shows those rare moments of vulnerability and sadness she will always there for him. Words are rarely needed.

When they do get into arguments, where words are used, they are usually about this or that little thing such as her workaholic tendencies or his lack of social etiquette. He will try to refrain from smashing things, and she will try to refrain from slapping him. Usually, he reminds her of how they met when she hit him with her car, and if she doesn't concede at that, another firm kiss or two will do the trick. She can't help but be thankful, though, that her car had the good sense to find him in that storm and hit him in the first place. She gradually starts working less and he begrudgingly tries to approach her friends in more socially acceptable ways.

Of course the Avengers come calling, as they both knew the world would eventually need saving again. She sends him off fully armored and equipped with Mjölnir, with the threat that if anything happens to him she will personally hunt him down and kill him herself. With such a threat, he doesn't dare come home with anything but a few cuts and bruises (and maybe a broken bone or two, but she doesn't have to know). When he finally comes back to her, she kisses him and holds him tight and silently promises herself to never let him go again. Of course, the world always needs saving, so this process tends to repeat itself.

In the end though, choosing this realm, with all its imperfections and impurities and beauty and love, choosing _her_, turns out to be the best decision he's ever made. And for someone who's saved said realm multiple times already, that's saying something.


End file.
